


The Nearness of You

by ChubbyChecker



Category: Lovecraft Country (TV), Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff
Genre: Everything is very slight, F/F, Slight Insecurity, slight angst, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27260440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChubbyChecker/pseuds/ChubbyChecker
Summary: It becomes a nightly ritual. Every evening, Ruby will put on a different record as soon as the needle drops Christina will pop her head in and her face will immediately brighten once hearing the invitation from Ruby. Like clockwork.OrA short, sweet, plotless moment
Relationships: Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite
Comments: 19
Kudos: 128





	The Nearness of You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fembuck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fembuck/gifts), [Sidders](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sidders/gifts), [minabyrd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minabyrd/gifts), [RadikoolSun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadikoolSun/gifts), [drywitticisms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drywitticisms/gifts), [Dandybear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandybear/gifts), [FakePlastikTrees](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FakePlastikTrees/gifts).



> First song that plays: I’m Making Believe - The Ink Spots  
> Second song: The Nearness of You- Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong 
> 
> I didn’t have time to really edit this, but I really wanted to get this out there. Because I’m impatient. Enjoy!

Lately, Ruby and Christina have been spending more time with one another. With the absence of any ulterior motive. No, the reason doesn’t have anything to do with familial ties to magic or anything of that sort much to Ruby’s (and Christina’s) surprise. 

It started on a warm evening.

The spacious house is quiet. Much too quiet for Ruby’s liking. Ruby is used to being surrounded by noise. Whether it be the noise of chatty roommates or a loud audience, Ruby feels more at ease when there’s some form of noise around. So one evening Ruby decides enough is enough. She brings her old record player to the house.

“ _Well, that thing has certainly seen its share of rough days.” Christina remarks upon seeing the nearly worn out player._

_“It's fine. “ Ruby huffs, tampering with the loose needle._

_“It looks close to falling apart.”_

_“It was a gift. My uncle gave it to me a while back and I’m not about to give up on it now.”_

_Christina hums in response._

_“Will you sing a song?” She asks a moment later, once Ruby has the player properly set up, “It’s been far too long since I’ve heard that pretty voice of yours.”_

_“You insult my record player and then you have the audacity to make a song request?”_

_“Yes.” Christina replies easily , beaming at Ruby’s attempt to hide a laugh._

_“You’re ridiculous. No.” This time Ruby doesn’t hide her laugh as she sees Christina’s pout, “The speaker still sounds good. Listen.”_

_The needle drops. A soft piano soon starts to fill the air. A light voice follows shortly after._

_“Oh, that’s lovely.” Christina remarks, about a minute well into the track._

_“Can’t go wrong with the Ink Spots.” Ruby agrees. She looks over to the blonde, just realizing that she’s still standing by the door. “You wanna sit down? The whole album is worth listening to.”_

_Christina lets our a slow smile , walking over to the couch where Ruby is sitting._

* * *

  
  


It becomes a nightly ritual. Every evening, Ruby will put on a different record as soon as the needle drops Christina will pop her head in and her face will immediately brighten once hearing the invitation from Ruby. Like clockwork. Christina always asks for the name of the artist as the song plays, softly repeating the name under her voice as if she’s trying her best to commit it to memory. Ruby gets the impression that Christina didn’t really get the chance to listen to music growing up, because Christina will even ask for the artist of the more popular songs. Ruby decides to show her everything, from Holiday to James, from Armstrong to Montgomery. Ruby finds herself enjoying Christina’s little listening mannerisms. The way she’ll look off towards nothing in particular with her eyes closed. The way she smiles once her intense gaze meets Ruby’s. The way she’ll scoot closer and closer to Ruby, clearly craving any form of physical contact that Ruby will allow, but being unsure of how to go about it. (These little moments are building up to something bigger, something Ruby should be afraid of, but she isn’t.)

“Is it a Holiday or an Ink Spots kind of night?” Christina asks as a way of greeting.

Ruby turns her head towards the source of the voice. Christina is perched up against the doorframe, a small smile on her face.

“Actually, I had something different in mind.” Ruby gestures Christina to come into the room. (Even though they’ve been doing this almost every night for the past three months, the blonde always hesitated at the door, as if she was afraid Ruby would turn her away. Christina was filled with a constant uncertainty about her place in Ruby’s life. So, like with all things involving Ruby, she patiently waits.)

“Oh?” Christina replies. Watching as Ruby picks up a newly wrapped album from the end table.

“This one’s new.” Christina eyes never leave Ruby as she unwraps the album and finally drops the needle down onto the record. Ruby walks over to the blonde, handing her the album cover.

  
  


Christina slowly rotates the album in her hands, glancing at the title; _The Nearness of You_. 

  
  


“And well, it reminded me of you, so..” Ruby lets the word trail on. Christina’s head shoots up upon hearing those words, eyes meeting Ruby’s. 

“It reminded you of me?” Christina can’t help but ask. 

“Yeah.” Ruby softly admits.

Christina looks back down at the album, deep in thought . Whether she’s thinking about the weight of Ruby’s words or the lyrics of the song is unclear. Ruby waits patiently. For what, she isn’t sure. But she feels like there’s something missing.

”Really?” Christina asks again after a while, and Ruby knows what she’s referring to. There’s an uncertainty in her voice. An uncertainty that has been lying deep in Christina every since she was exposed to be William. It gnaws at Ruby more than she’d like to admit.

“Really.” Ruby reassures her.

  
  


Christina smiles a smile that makes her eyes crinkle and Ruby makes a silent promise to always give the blonde a reason to smile so big. She lays her hand on top of Christina’s hand on the couch. After a minute, Christina slowly turns her hand and interlaces their fingers, holding on tight. 

Ella and Louis sing on.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I’d just like to personally thank fembuck, Sidders, minabyrd, RadikoolSun, drywitticisms, Dandybear, FakePlastikTrees, and the rest of you lovely people who took the time out to publish great content here. You all inspire me to come back to my first love. 
> 
> And to the lovely readers: Thank you for reading !


End file.
